News of 3217 Turn 141

INN Datelines 3216.400 – 3217.049

Displaced Persons Problem on W3

Dateline W3 Q7 3216.366

There has been fierce fighting within the Deep Hole Colony on W3, over a power struggle between the Deep Colonial Corporation (which set up the colony) and the Deep Democratic Association – a ‘rebel’ movement claiming to want to being ‘freedom and democracy’ to the colony. The DCC claims that the rbels are “…a bunch of bedwetting leftie cyborg-lovers..” and accuse them of all manner of crimes from murder and extortion through to tax evasion. On the other hand the DDA claims that they are “…attempting to introduce democratic accountability and to overthrow the evil slave-lords…”

The net effect has been to cause many thousands of colonists to make the difficult journey over the Interstitial Mountains to the neighbouring colony of Tree Of Life. ToL has only a small population and its infrastructure, security apparatus and economy is stuggling to deal with the influx. Temporary hexaurt habitations are being established, but in addiion, many of those displaced by the fighting bring with them their old enmitities, there being supporters of both the DCC an the DDA in the throng. Internecine fighting looks set to spread to TOL and might even spread to other colonies on the Central Contnent in coming octants.

Forerunner ‘Treasures’ Found

Dateline Grapevine Q0 3217.023

Reports are coming in of a potentially significant forerunner find on Grapevine. This has been treated with delight by the South East Island Colony where the find has been made. Consisting of a number of large underground chambers, still receiving power from an ancient power supply tens of thousands of years old, the chambers contain many dozens of still-functioning devices and exotic alien technology of unknown purpose.

The newly appointed SEIC Minister of Weird Alien Stuff, Giovanni Van Slag said “… Well, ah, yes, y’see were really super happy that we’ve found all this valuable, I mean academically interesting weird alien sh*t, er I mean things. I mean, it was getting a bit touch and go on the old colonial finances front, and now … well .. good times!”

A spokesperson fro the Original Home Colony on the mainland just accross from SEIC said “We’re sure that the SEICers will share this find with all the other hard-working colonists on this world – in a way, a very real way, this belongs to all of us here on Grapevine. We’re so pleased with the find and as a result we’re sending some additional security forces into the area by boat to help the SEICers protect their, I mean our, find”

The South East Islanders have announced that they will be putting over 50 items, removed from the site by mining teams, on the market to the highest bidder.

A spokesperson for the IFF said “… we are a little dissapointed. We would have hoped the colonists, despite not being signatories to the Treaty, would have done the right thing and made their finds freely available for all humanity.”

Red Mercury Bonanza

Dateline Quetzacoatl Q8 3216.379

The new colonies on Quetzacoatl have been celebrating a remarkable discovery of one of the richest regions of red mercury in the entire quadrant.

The find, made almost accidentally by a survey team whose flyer got lost after the navigaton system went haywire. Setting down in a region not previously mapped or even on their list as likely to be very rich in red mercury they found instead fantastically high densitities of RM ore.

At this stage the colony is not able to full exploit the find as its infrastructure is not yet fully developed, but it expects that this will give a boost to its growth in the years to come.

On the other hand, the RM market in Quadrant 8 is suffering as the prospect of increased production is having a depressive effect of RM Ore futures, and this might affect the economies of those colonies that have been just settled and are relying on stable RM prices to build their economy.

Sectarian Violence Rising

Dateline T291 Q1 3216.359

Tensions are rising between the Ecchs colony and the Wye Colony. Relations have been strained for a number of years, as Estraham Clewgists from Ecchs colony have been accused of terrorising the Yendorian Clewgist minority in thier territory. Majority Yendorian Clewgist Wye Colony has mobilised additional security and is know to be importing arms.

The Ecchs colony has, in response, started to require all Yendorian Clewgists to register with the colonial authorities and to report to a police station every week.

Tensions remain high with increased sectarian violence, riots, murders and bombings in both colonies.

Refugees’ Dubious Welcome

Dateline 3216.381 New Draconis

Reports are coming in from the transit camps on New Draconis that President Forty’s “Bring us your huddled masses” policy is showing increasing cracks. Many refugees have been reporting that far from being welcomed they are being pressured by the Draconian authorities to ship out to primitive colonies on the periphery or to join the Draconian Armed Forces or risk being thrown out onto their own (non-existent) resources. Leaks indicate plans to forcibly ship many out to Centauri worlds to work as indentured servants for rich Centauri, and reports that the Conglomerate has been moving ships to New Draconis seems to be bearing this out.

This together with reports that many of the refugess were forced at gunpoint by the authorities on 116AL to ship to New Draconis in the first place seems to show that they have not quite found the haven promised in the political soundbites. Many displaced transhumans have said that they just want to return their homes on 116AL. As one, who wanted to remain anonymous, said “… my family helped build the colony on 116AL, three generations ago, and then all of a sudden our neighbours turned on us and this happens. We built homes, worked hard, and now nobody wants us and we starve. Nobody gives a frack.”

In addition, conditions in the camps are worstening as the local winter sets in – Chancellor Yen has been reported as saying that the refugees do not deserve a ‘free lunch’ at the expense of the taxpayer of the New Republic, and certainly little is being spent to accomodate the 100,000 refugees in the temporary camps.